Empire

Stoppard’s play primarily explores the historical, social, and cultural impact of the British Empire. A significant portion of the play is set in India in 1930, a time marked by social unrest as Indians fought for independence from British colonial rule. Much of the dialogue revolves around two characters, one Indian and one British, discussing India's status as a British colony. For example, the Indian characters refer to the 1847 event as the ‘‘First War of Independence,’’ while the English characters call it the ‘‘Mutiny.’’ Various English characters in the play embody different British perspectives on Indian politics. Flora, the most open-minded English character, is keenly aware of her role in India as a symbol of British Imperial power. In a letter to her sister, she humorously describes a sight-seeing tour with Indian members of the Theosophical Society, saying, ‘‘I felt like a carnival float representing Empire—or, depending how you look at it, the Subjugation of the Indian People.’’ David Durance, a British government official in India, along with his fellow members of the Jummapur Cricket Club, display typical imperialist arrogance and disdain for Indians. This is evident in the opening lines of Act II, where a club member, referred to simply as an ‘‘Englishman,’’ praises the writer Kipling, known for his racist and pro-imperialist views.

Cultural Imperialism

Cultural imperialism describes the process where one culture conquers and dominates another, leading to the erosion of the native culture and the imposition of the conqueror's culture. During the British colonization of India, the British established an English educational system among the Indian populace. Consequently, educated Indians became more familiar with English art and literature, often at the expense of their own cultural traditions. In several conversations between Flora and Das, Das reveals his admiration for English literature. Flora challenges this perspective, suggesting that he should take more pride in his own culture rather than that of the colonizers. In a dialogue between Anish and Mrs. Swan, Mrs. Swan likens Britain's colonization of India to the Roman conquest of Britain and the subsequent imposition of Roman culture. Anish refutes this comparison, arguing that India was already a highly advanced civilization before European arrival: "We were the Romans! We were up to date when you were a backward nation. The foreigners who invaded you found a third-world country! Even when you discovered India in the age of Shakespeare, we already had our Shakespeares. And our science—architecture—our literature and art, we had a culture older and more splendid, we were rich!" Anish concludes by asserting that Britain's primary motive for colonizing India was its wealth: "After all, that’s why you came."

Nationalism

The drive that inspired Indians to fight for national independence was rooted in strong "nationalism." This term refers to the pride in Indian culture, history, and national identity. In Stoppard's play, Indian characters display varying levels of nationalist pride and a rebellious stance against British imperialism. The Theosophical Society, to which both Flora and Das belong, significantly influenced the rise of Indian nationalism due to its respect for traditional Indian spiritual beliefs. Flora tries to instill a sense of nationalism in Das during their conversations. She advises him, "If you don’t start learning to take you’ll never be shot of us. . . . It’s your country and we’ve got it. Everything else is bosh." Eventually, Das participates in a nationalist act of rebellion when he is arrested for throwing a mango during an anti-British protest.